Preparing for a trip: Overland Expo East 2014

So I was selected to go to Overland Expo East at Taylor Ranch in Asheville, N.C. (www.overlandexpo.com) and teach an Intro to Wilderness and Remote First Aid class and sit in a discussion panel. Not long ago a friend suggested I should write a post on "preparing for a trip", so it seems fitting to do it now as I get ready for this adventure. This is not my first trip, nor the first time I'm invited to teach out-of-state/country, but this is the first time I'm presenting a much condensed version of what is a pretty encompassing subject/class. Most trips have many things in common when it comes to preparations, and I'll go over those first.

 

Vehicle: Since I just came back not too long ago from a 2,000 mile trip covering FL, AL, NC, SC, and GA the Jeep is pretty much ready, meaning tires are in good condition, fluids are checked, and it has a new battery. The last thing you want to ruin your trip is lack of maintenance of the vehicle in which you'll be living/relying to get you there and back. For this trip I'm replacing the rear flood light from a 55watts halogen, to two 20 watts LED at a 45 degree angle for better light coverage while keeping the battery draw to a minimum. The soft top of the Jeep was also recently replaced since I still had the factory one and after 10 years it was leaking pretty bad inside.

 

 

Tent/trailer: Living quarters for me will be a Tepui roof top tent on a utility trailer by Manley ORV. This setup allows me to have all my camping gear always ready to go, and it provides some creature comforts like the memory foam mattress inside the tent, while keeping me off the ground.

Other items for this trip include Cameras (Nikon D3100, and GoPro Hero2), laptop, projector, Stat Packs medical bags, Emox emergency powdered oxygen, and medical equipment for demonstration of skills, and a GearShade Jeep top that I will be using as a makeshift stretcher.

As for what I'll be presenting it is an Intro to the American Red Cross Wilderness and Remote First Aid, which is a 16 hour long all hands on/ field class, geared towards people who will be going to places that are at least 30 minutes away from help (i.e. EMS, Fire Dept., Sheriffs Office, etc.), so it is a perfect fit for overlanders, and outdoor enthusiast. The only pre-requisite for this class is a valid CPR certification. Due to time restraints the presentation at the expo will be 50 minutes in length with 10 minutes for Q & A. In order to use the time as best as possible I'm using a power point presentation and hands on demonstration to get the most vital information to the most amount of attendees.

Thank you for reading!